Try to take your days one by one as they come to you. The hard things of yesterday are past, and you are not asked to bear what to-morrow may have in store; so that the cross is really light when you take it bit by bit.

COMMENTS: What sane advice from a man who knew a thing or two about hardship! Often we multiply our hardship when we think about ongoing future problems. When we are sick we tend not to be able to imagine what it would be like to be well again or to have our energy back. When we face economic deprivation we tend to imagine that we will not see happier days. Fr Doyle’s words today should give comfort to all those who suffer in any way. They should also give some comfort to Irish readers. Our country is going through very tough economic times. The arrival of the IMF is not a happy event for our nation. Today the Government unveiled a four year economic plan which will involve a decreased standard of living for everyone in the country, and especially for those who are already economically disadvantaged. The growing economic instability of other European nations even puts the future of the Euro in some doubt.

Let us follow Fr Doyle’s advice to live life bit by bit. We are not now asked to carry tomorrow’s burden. That burden may even be lighter than we think when it arrives. And when tomorrow’s burden arrives, today’s burden will have passed already.

Let us carry our cross day by day and bit by bit, consoled by the fact that we are never abandoned by our loving God.